Olympic modern pentathlon results August 18: Lesun sets Olympic record
By John Buhler
Modern pentathlon completed most of its fencing portion with Russia’s Alexander Lesun setting an Olympic record of 268 in the first stage on Thursday.
Thursday, August 18th was the first day of the modern pentathlon at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Both the men and the women completed the majority of the fencing portion of their five-event competition at Youth Aren.
The Americans have three Olympians competing in the modern pentathlon. Sisters Isabella and Margaux Isaksen in the women’s event and Nathan Schrimsher on the men’s side of things.
After completing the fencing portion of the five-event competition, here are the top three in the Women’s Modern Pentathlon so far: Poland’s Oktawia Nowacka is in first place with 262 points. Germany’s Lena Schoneborn is in second place with 244 points. Finally, Canada’s Melanie McCann is in third place with 238 points.
Isabella Isaksen isn’t far behind, sitting in eighth place with a total of 220 points. Her sister, Margaux Isaksen, is back a tad. She finds herself in 14th place with a total of 208 points through the first day of the competition.
After the men finished their fencing part of the competition, here are the top three in the Men’s Modern Penthathlon so far: Russia’s Alexander Lesun set an Olympic record with 268 points to find himself in first place.
Germany’s Patrick Dogue is 30 points back of a record-setting performance in the Men’s modern pentathlon with 238 points through Thursday. In third place is Egypt’s Omar Elgeziry, who is less than one point off Dogue for second.
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American Nathan Schrimsher does find himself in the top 10 through the first day of the Men’s Modern Penthatlon with a good fencing day of his own. He finds himself in ninth place out of 36 competitors with 220 points.
Fencing may have been a huge obstacle for the three Olympians competing in the modern pentathlon. Schrimsher and the Isaksen Sisters held their own in the epee. How they swim, run, shoot a pistol, and jump horses will determine if the United States brings home a medal, or three, in the modern pentathlon.